Week 5 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | Team D/K
Start ’Em, Sit ’Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in fantasy football leagues based on a full-point PPR scoring system. This column will not cover elite NFL players like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which are updated daily.
Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.
Byes: Chiefs, Panthers
Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Running Back Rankings For Week 5
- Jahmyr Gibbs at Cardinals
- Bijan Robinson vs. Raiders
- Jonathan Taylor at Steelers
- Christian McCaffrey at Seahawks
- Derrick Henry at Falcons
- James Cook at Rams (Mon.)
- Kyren Williams vs. Bills (Mon.)
- Javonte Williams vs. Buccaneers (Thurs.)
- Chase Brown at Dolphins
- Ashton Jeanty at Patriots
Complete Week 5 running back rankings
Week 5 Start ’Em Running Backs
Start of the Week
Chase Brown at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Brown has had an inconsistent start to the season for fantasy managers, scoring fewer than 11.3 points in two of his last three games. He has also put up just 26.7 points, or 6.7 points per game, on runs. Regardless, I see him busting out this week against the Dolphins. Their defense has allowed four enemy running backs to beat them for 16-plus points, and three have scored more than 21 points. Look for Brown to make noise.
Start ’Em
D’Andre Swift at Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Swift was outshadowed by Kyle Monangai last week, as he lost snaps and touches to his Bears teammate en route to a 7.4-point stinker. Still, I’d keep the faith in the veteran in a plus matchup against the Packers. Their defense has allowed the second-most fantasy points to running backs, and the position has a 56.9% success rate against them. That’s the third-highest in the league. As a result, Swift should have a good floor.
Jaylen Warren vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Warren has been solid the past two weeks, scoring a combined 36.2 fantasy points while seeing a near 50% touch share. Regardless of Rico Dowdle’s status—he has missed time due to a toe injury—I’d keep Warren active against the Colts. Their defense has allowed two runners to beat them for 23-plus points, and Kenneth Walker III had six catches against them in Week 2. That’s good news for the pass-catching Warren.
Emanuel Wilson vs. 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Wilson was one of my favorite streamers last week, and he made good with two touchdowns and nearly 30 fantasy points. With Jadarian Price on injured reserve and Zach Charbonnet still sidelined, I’d start the veteran Seahawk again versus the 49ers. Their defense has allowed three backs to beat them for 15-plus points, and only two other defenses have a higher (EPA) Expected Points Added vs. the position this season.
Quinshon Judkins at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Judkins had his first big game of the season in Week 4, scoring 21.6 points on a 45.1% touch share. The Browns back should return to starting fantasy lineups against the Jets, who have been generous to running backs. After four weeks, their defense has allowed the fifth-most points and has the highest EPA per game to the position. This should also be a neutral or positive game script, so Judkins should have a decent floor.
More Starts
- Aaron Jones Sr. at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
- Omarion Hampton vs. Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Bhayshul Tuten vs. Eagles (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network)
Running Back Streamers
- RJ Harvey at Chargers (45%): Harvey caught 10 passes and saw a 36.2% touch share in Week 4, and the Chargers have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to running backs.
- Ollie Gordon vs. Bengals (30%): Gordon has combined for 32.5 fantasy points and two touchdowns in the two games since De’Von Achane went down with a knee injury.
- Kyle Monangai at Packers (30%): Monangai remains second on the depth chart behind D’Andre Swift, but he’s seeing enough work to be a flex starter against the Packers.
Week 5 Sit ’Em Running Backs
Sit of the Week
Cam Skattebo at Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Skattebo’s value took a hit when the Giants lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, and it has shown in the stat sheets. In his last three games, he has averaged just 10 points despite seeing well over 40% of the touch share. Skattebo has also averaged a mere 3.5 yards per rush, and he has averaged no more than 3.2 yards per rush in three of four games. The Commanders have also allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing backs this season.
Sit ’Em
David Montgomery at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Montgomery scored three touchdowns and 28.9 fantasy points in Week 1. Since then, he has scored a combined 15.5 points with not a single end-zone visit, and his yards-per-carry average is a dreadful 2.7 on the season. What’s even more worrisome is that he has had some great matchups, yet he has been unable to exploit them. So, unless you’re desperate for a flex starter, Montgomery needs to be on your sidelines.
Braelon Allen vs. Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS): In his first game without Breece Hall,Allen saw an unbelievable 73% of the Jets’ backfield touches last week. Unfortunately, their offense was awful, and Allen was held to just 8.7 fantasy points. Assuming Hall is out again, Allen will be a volume-based flex option, at best, against the Browns. After four weeks, Cleveland’s D has allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to backs on runs alone, and the sixth-fewest overall.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt vs. Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox): This might be a bit of a “rage sit,” as Croskey-Merritt had a great matchup last week vs. the Colts but did little, in part due to a negative game script. Regardless, he has failed to score more than seven fantasy points in three straight games, and his yards-per-carry average is a brutal 2.8 for the season. So while this week’s game against the Giants isn’t bad on paper, I simply can’t trust Croskey-Merritt as a starter.
Tony Pollard vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Pollard has been a viable flex starter over the past two weeks, scoring a touchdown for the Titans and a combined 26.6 fantasy points. Still, I see him as a risk in a matchup against the Texans. While Houston’s D did get smoked by Javonte Williams in Week 4, it had held Jonathan Taylor, James Cook and Chase Brown to a combined 30.3 points in the first three weeks of the season. I’d temper expectations in a game with an expected low points total.
More Sits
- Will Shipley at Jaguars (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network)
- TreVeyon Henderson vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- MarShawn Lloyd vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Add us as a preferred source on Google
